Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy knows that life can throw more passes than Peyton Manning, except life's plays can be fumbled easier. However, his spirituality helps him handle errant throws in life.
Dungy will speak 9:15 p.m. today at Emens Auditorium and talk about how he faces challenges in coaching, life and challenges from God. A question-and-answer session will follow. The free event is sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ and Athletes in Action, an organization devoted to being a spiritual resource for Ball State University athletes.
Dungy spoke at an Athletes in Action conference in Detroit before Super Bowl XL, but he said it's not the group that attracted him to the opportunity to speak at Ball State.
"I wanted to come and talk to the students. It's not so much that it was a particular group that attracted me, and I don't get as much as a chance to talk to talk to students," he said.
Relating the message of the Christian gospel to students will be Dungy's focus Thursday night, and to help students gain an insight to develop spiritually is important to him. He said he looks back during his college years and realized how much more important spiritual development is than career development. And when the soft-spoken Dungy gives speeches about his experiences, it helps him solidify his beliefs.
"It helps me personally to make sure I'm staying focused on what I really believe, and to think it helps me and helps the people that are in the audience," he said about sharing his experiences.
However, as perfect as it appears Dungy's life might be, it has its moments like everybody else.
"I would probably want [the audience] to understand that even though I'm a high profile football coach, I have a lot of the same issues as a everyone else," he said, "and a lot of the things that are going through their minds went threw my mind as well."
Dungy grew up with a Christian influence, but he didn't embrace it until he reached 21 years old.
He thought he focused more on school and sports instead of spirituality, and it's something children and young adults do.
"I know how a lot of boys get infatuated by sports figures and sports and I don't want them to miss out on the spirituality part when they're younger," he said.
One way he learns how to balance coaching and family is to prioritize, Dungy said. "You really have to prioritize {your time} and handle things you have to do with that job but you have to make sure you're keeping time for what's important," he said. And what's important is to make time for family and the community, he said.
"You have to be deliberate about it and carve the out the time and make sure you {make your family} the focus," the soft-spoken Dungy said.
In December Dungy had to find a way to deal with his son James' suicide. He looked toward his belief in Jesus Christ for inspiration to get him through the loss.
"To me if you're not a believer in Christ and you don't believe that there is life after death and you don't believe that Christ has a plan, then it would be a very tragic situation, and I don't know how you would care for yourself," he said. "You would probably be depressed."
Dungy said he hoped non-believers in the audience would begin to ask themselves about a relationship with God and Jesus Christ after his speech.
Although Athletes in Action Campus Director Eric Knodel has only seen excerpts of Dungy's speech in Detroit, he trusts what he's heard from friends and colleagues that Dungy is solid on his beliefs. Knodel said Dungy helps athletes look to God because of his passion.
"As people look up to athletes, we want to see athletes looking up to God," he said. "Like it or not, athletes are role models and coaches are [too]. We want to bring a positive example-someone in professional sports."
Dungy wants to spread the word of God to more than athletes and students, and after his coaching career he said he would like to be involved in prison ministry.
"It's something I'm sure I'd do some point down the line," he said, "but I don't know if I'll be more into ministry than I will be in athletics."
"If I wasn't a coach I would definitely be there, but not sure if anyone would be listening," he said while laughing.
The Colts organization through owner Jim Irsay has allowed coaches and players to keep their beliefs strong. Dungy said a Catholic priest and a reverend travel with the team to offer spiritual support to the staff and the team offers Bible studies for coaches and players. Dungy said he thinks a lot of NFL teams offer similar services.
When it comes to talking about God to players, he said it is sensitive.
"I do and it's a fine line. You can't have that as your number one purpose and develop the team. It's important for my players to know what I believe, and what I believe is definitely important," he said. "{I do think it's} important to give them spiritual coaching as well as athletic coaching."
Dungy will also meet with coaches during a private event before his Emens appearance to share his coaching philosophy, Knodel said. Dungy will also meet with donors to encourage people to donate to Athletes in Action to continue its programs by having enough financial support, Knodel said.
After Thursday, Dungy will continue to relax with his family and give more speeches before he starts to put together the team in the summer. Dungy agrees that the speeches offer him a good role reversal by making people ask themselves questions instead of answering questions.
"It's really just a small part of the job of what we do and doesn't overburden what we do at all," he said.
Marginalia:
Time: 9:15 p.m.Venue: Emens AuditoriumSponsors: Campus Crusade for Christ and Athletes in Action
Tony DungyHead Coach of Indianapolis Colts sine Jan. 22, 200210 years as an NFL Head CoachCareer Record: 102-58
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